Facebook sold ads to Russian-linked accounts during election

Sandy Schultz

A joint US intelligence report issued earlier this year said the Kremlin used social media and fake news postings to influence the election in favor of President Trump. While firm spending totals are hard to assess because of loose federal election reporting requirements, media reports in the aftermath of last year's presidential race have cited $55 million in spending from one of Hillary Clinton's primary digital firms, and $90 million spent on Donald Trump's side through his main digital adviser, Brad Parscale. However, the ads focused on "divisive social and political messages" about hot-button topics including LGBT rights, race issues, immigration and gun rights.

Facebook is delving deeper into possible Russian interference in the usa election.

Stamos spelled out just what was in the ads, saying that the majority didn't specifically reference the presidential election, voting, Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

The Washington Post reports that Facebook told investigators it had $100,000 worth of ad sales to a Russian "troll farm" beginning in the summer of 2015.

"I get the fact that the Russian intel services could figure out how to manipulate and use the bots". The company was also criticized for not only doing enough to stop the spread of fake news. Approximately 3,300 ads had ties to Russian Federation.

The overall spending figure for the Russian-linked ads - at about $150,000 - is a relatively small amount compared to the overall digital ad buy made during the course of the 2016 campaign.

Facebook, the dominant social media network, said that numerous 3,000 ads promoted 470 "inauthentic" accounts and pages that it has now suspended. "If Facebook has data on this, it needs to share it". He said Facebook has shut down the accounts that remained active.

"We know we need to remain watchful to keep in front of individuals who attempt to abuse our stage", Mr Stamos composed.

Earlier this year, Facebook announced technology improvements to detect fake accounts and more recently announced it would no longer allow Facebook pages to advertise if they have a pattern of sharing false news stories.

In 2013, hackers released internal company documents showing it employed 600 people across Russian Federation.

He outlined a series of steps the company has been taking to detect fake accounts and to detect inauthentic pages.

But the findings buttress USA intelligence agency conclusions that Russian Federation was actively involved in shaping the election.

"It is unlawful for foreign nationals to be spending money in connection with any federal, state or local election, directly or indirectly", Weintraub said in a phone interview. The ban includes independent expenditures made in connection with an election.

Not all politically-related advertising by foreigners is illegal in America.

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